Comfort Zone
by icon.noci
Summary: Naminé Hartnett should be enjoying her life to the hilt. But everything changes when she is told about her family's ancient feud, dating back to medieval Radiant Garden. Suddenly a woman who has spent more quality time with her laptop than with any man is caught up with a mystery—and a knee-buckling relationship with FBI agent and old friend Roxas West.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, here. This is my first Kingdom Hearts fanfic, so reviews are most welcome and appreciated. :) Hope you guys enjoy ****_Comfort Zone_****.**

**Disclaimer: Me owning Kingdom Hearts? That'll be like a dream come true. **

**CHAPTER 1**

This wedding was no small affair. There were seven bridesmaids, seven groomsmen, three ushers, two altar boys, three lectors, and enough firepower inside the church to wipe out half of the congregation. All but two of the groomsmen were armed.

The federal agents weren't happy about the crowd, but they knew it would be pointless to complain. The father of the groom, Ansem Hartnett (known to the public as Ansem the Wise), wasn't about to miss such an auspicious occasion, no matter how many death threats he received. The judge was in the midst of hearing a racketeering case back at Hollow Bastion, and the federal agents assigned to protect him would continue their detail until the trial was over and a decision had been rendered.

The church was packed to capacity. The Hartnetts were such a large family that some of the groom's relatives and friends spilled over to the bride's side. Most had traveled to the little town of Silver Springs, Destiny Islands, from Radiant Garden, but there were several Hartnett cousins who had come all the way from Sunset Hill, Twilight Town, to celebrate the marriage of Sora Hartnett and Kairi Rosen.

The bride and groom were deliriously happy, and their wedding was a joyous occasion, but it never would have happened if it weren't for Sora's sister, Naminé. Naminé and Kairi were best friends and had been roommates in college. The first time Naminé took Kairi to her family's home on Destiny Islands, all the siblings had gathered to celebrate their father's birthday. Naminé certainly had no intention of matchmaking, and she definitely wasn't aware that there had been a spark between Kairi and her brother Sora, so years later when the spark ignited into a flame and the two became engaged, no one was more surprised—or thrilled—than she.

Every last detail of the happy event had been meticulously planned. Like Kairi, Naminé was a great organizer, and so she was given the responsibility of dressing up the church for the occasion. Admittedly, Naminé had gotten a little carried away. She'd put flowers everywhere, both inside and outside the church. Raspberry pink roses and creamy white magnolias lined the stone walkway, their lovely scent greeting guests as they arrived. Pink and white roses delicately intertwined with baby's breath in large wreaths with wide, lace-trimmed satin ribbons hung down on each side of the old weathered double doors. Naminé had actually considered giving the doors a fresh coat of paint but at the last minute had come to her senses and left them alone.

Kairi had also asked Naminé to take care of the music, and Naminé had gone a little overboard on that assignment too. She'd started out with the notion of hiring a pianist and a singer for the ceremony and ended up with an orchestra. There were violins, a piano, a flute, and two trumpets. Seated in the balcony, the musicians played Mozart to entertain the gathering celebrants. When the groomsmen lined up in front of the altar, the music was to stop; the trumpets would then sound, the crowd would rise to their feet, and the pomp and splendor would begin.

The bride and bridesmaid waited in a dressing room just off the vestibule. The time had come. The trumpets should now be playing the ceremony, but they were silent. Kairi sent Naminé to find out what the delay was.

Mozart's lovely notes covered the noise of the door squeaking as Naminé peeked inside the church. She spotted one of the federal agents standing in an alcove on the left side of the church and tried not to think about the reason he was there. '_The bodyguards weren't really necessary,'_ Naminé thought, considering all the law enforcement professionals in her family. Of her six brothers, two were FBI agents, one was a federal attorney, one was a Navy SEAL in training, one was a cop, and the youngest, Len, was in college and hadn't yet decided which side of the law looked more appealing to him. Also standing at the altar would be Roxas West, a close friend of the family and yet another FBI agent.

The agents assigned to her father didn't care how many others there were. Their job was clearly defined, and they wouldn't be distracted by the celebration. Naminé finally decided that they were a comfort, not a hindrance, and she should be focusing on the wedding and stop worrying.

She spotted one of her brothers slowly making his way toward the back of the church. It was Tidus, Sora's best man. She smiled as she watched him approach. Tidus had gone all out for the wedding. He worked undercover, but he'd cut his hair for the occasion, an impressive consideration on his part to be sure. His job usually required that he dress and look like a deranged serial killer. Naminé had barely recognized him when he arrived at the rehearsal the night before. Now Tidus stopped to speak to one of the bodyguards. She waved to get his attention and motioned him to step out to the vestibule.

As the door closed behind him, she asked in a whisper, "Why aren't we starting? It's time."

"Sora sent me back to tell Kairi that we'll start in a couple of minutes," he answered.

Tidus's collar was partially inverted, and she reached up to fix it. "Your collar's folded over," she said before he could ask. "Quit squirming."

When she had finished with the collar and straightened his tie, she stepped back. _'Tidus cleaned up nice,'_ Naminé thought. The funny thing was; Yuna, his wife, loved him however he looked. '_Love did weird things to people,' _Naminé decided.

"Is Kairi worried that Sora will take off?" Tidus asked with a glint in his eye that told her he was joking. They were a couple of minutes late now.

"Not really," Naminé answered. "She left five minutes ago."

He shook his head. "Not funny," he said, grinning. "I've got to go back."

"Wait. You still haven't explained why we're waiting. Is something wrong?"

"Stop worrying. Nothing's wrong." He was about to go back inside but suddenly stopped. "Naminé?"

"Yes?"

"You look nice."

It would have been a lovely compliment from a brother who never gave compliments if Tidus himself hadn't looked so surprised by his observation.

She was about to return the favor when the outer church doors flew open, and Roxas West came rushing inside tying his tie.

The man never failed to make a strong impression. Women loved him, and Naminé had to admit she could understand his appeal. Tall, athletic, outgoing, handsome—he was a man's man and a woman's fantasy. His sandy blond hair was always spikily wind-swept in one direction, and his piercingly blue eyes sparkled with mischief whenever he gave one of his devilish grins.

"Am I late?" he asked.

"No, it's good," Tidus said. "Okay, Naminé, we can start now."

"Where have you been?" she asked Roxas, exasperated.

Rather than answering, he gave her a quick onceover, smiled, and followed Tidus inside. Naminé felt like throwing her hands up. _'He'd been with a woman,'_ she decided. _'That man is hopeless.'_

She should have been peeved, but instead she laughed. To be that free, that uninhibited…Naminé couldn't imagine what that would feel like. But Roxas certainly knew that feeling.

Naminé hurried back to the waiting room, pushed the door open, and said, "It's time."

Kairi motioned for Naminé to come to her. "What was the hold-up?" she asked.

"Roxas. He just got here. If I had to guess, I'd say he was with a woman."

"That's not a guess," Kairi whispered. "It's a given. I had no idea what a playboy he was until I saw it for myself. He disappeared from the rehearsal dinner last night with three of my bridesmaid, and all three looked like they hadn't slept when they got to the church this morning."

Naminé crossed her arms as she looked around the room, trying to decide which of the bridesmaid had disappeared with Roxas. "Shame on him," she remarked.

"Oh, it wasn't entirely his fault," Kairi replied. "They went willingly."

Kairi's aunt Nora announced that they weren't going anywhere until they heard the trumpets, and then she began to line everyone up.

Kairi motioned Naminé closer. "I need to ask a favor. It's kind of a tough one."

Difficult or not, it didn't matter. Kairi had been there through thick and thin for Naminé, and Naminé would do anything she could to help her.

"You name it. I'll do it," she said.

"Would you please make Roxas behave?"

Okay, maybe not _anything_.

Naminé took a breath and whispered, "You're asking the impossible. Trying to control him is laughable. It would be easier to teach a bear how to use a computer. Give me that assignment, and I promise I'll give it my all. But Roxas? Come on, Kai…"

"Actually, it's just Aria I'm concerned about. Did you see the way she glued herself to his side at the rehearsal?"

"Is that why you paired me with him in the wedding? To keep your little sister away from him?"

"No," she said. "But after seeing Aria in action last night, I'm glad I did. I can't blame her. Roxas's adorable. Aside from Sora, of course, I think he's one of the sexiest men I've ever met. He oozes charisma, doesn't he?"

Naminé shrugged. "I guess."

"I don't want Aria to become another RWG," she said. "And I don't want any more of my wedding party to disappear suddenly."

"What is an RWG?" Naminé asked.

Kairi grinned. "A Roxas West Groupie."

Naminé burst into laughter.

"You're the only person I know who seems to be immune to his charms. He treats you like a sister."

Aunt Nora clapped her hands. "Okay, everyone. It's time to go."

Kairi grabbed Naminé's arm. "I'm not budging until you promise."

"Oh, all right. I'll do it."

The trumpets sounded again. Since Naminé was to be the first to walk down the aisle, she was so nervous and clutched her bouquet to her waist with both hands. She'd always been known as the family klutz, but she was determined not to trip over her own feet today. She would pay attention and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

She waited in the center of the doorway until she heard Aunt Nora whisper, "Go."

She took a deep breath and started walking. The aisle seemed a mile long. Standing in front of the altar, Roxas waited. When she was halfway there, he came toward her, looking amazing in his tuxedo. She relaxed. No one was paying her any attention. Every eye—at least every female eye—was on Roxas.

She concentrated on his smile and took hold of his arm. For a brief second she looked into his eyes and saw the mischievous glimmer.

Oh, God, she had her work cut out for her.

**End of the first chapter. It was my first attempt of writing a Fanfic. How was it? Good? Bad? That's for you guys to decide. :)**

** , over and out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The second chapter of ****_Comfort Zone_**** is here. *throwing confetti***

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts ain't mine, 'nuff said.**

**CHAPTER 2**

The ceremony was beautiful. Tears rolled down Naminé's cheeks when her brother and her best friend exchanged vows. She thought no one has noticed her red eyes, but when she took hold of Roxas's arm while walking out of the church, he leaned down to her and whispered, "Crybaby."

Of course he'd noticed. He never missed anything.

After additional photos were taken, the attendants were separated, and Naminé ended up riding to the reception with the bride and the groom. She could have been riding on the hood of the car, for all they noticed. They only had eyes for each other.

Kairi and Sora had entered the country club ahead of everyone else, and Naminé stood outside on the steps waiting for the rest of the wedding party to come up the circle drive to join her.

It was a beautiful evening, but there was a slight chill in the air, which was unusual for this time of year in Twilight Town. The ballroom's French doors were opened to the side terrace. Tables had already been prepared with long white linen tablecloths topped with candles and centerpieces of roses and hydrangeas. Naminé knew the reception was going to be fabulous, the food exceptional—she'd gotten to taste some of Kairi's selections—and the band superb. Naminé didn't plan in doing much dancing, though. It had been a long day, and she was running out of steam. A cool breeze swept across the veranda and made her shiver. She rubbed her bare arms to ward off the chill. She loved the pale pink strapless gown she was wearing, but it definitely wasn't designed to keep a body warm.

The cold wasn't the only thing bothering her. Her contact lenses were driving her crazy. Fortunately, she'd tucked her glasses into Roxas's tuxedo jacket along with her lens case and lipstick. Too bad she hadn't thought to shove a cardigan in there.

She heard laughter and turned just in time to see Kairi's younger sister, Aria, take hold of Roxas's arm and lean to his side. _'Oh, brother, here we go,'_ Naminé rolled her eyes.

Aria was a blond, blue-eyed beauty, but then so were Roxas and Naminé. Aria's coloring was quite similar to his, and though he towered over her, they could have been related. _'Now that's a creepy though,'_ Naminé decided, since Aria was blatantly flirting with him. She was such an innocent. Roxas wasn't. Kairi's sister was a very young eighteen, and from the way she was staring up at Roxas with such adoration in her eyes, it was apparent she was already under his spell. To his credit, Roxas wasn't encouraging her. In fact, he wasn't paying much attention to her at all. Instead, he was intently paying much attention to Len, the youngest Hartnett.

"Gotcha."

Naminé hadn't her anyone approaching and flinched in reaction. Her brother Demyx poked her in her side and was now standing beside her grinning like an idiot. When he was a child, he loved to sneak up on her and their sister, Larxene, and scare the heck out of them. He had lived for a good scream back then. She thought he'd outgrown the horrid behavior, but apparently he sometimes regressed when he was around her. Come to think of it, all of her older brothers regressed when they were around her.

"What are you doing here?" Demyx asked.

"Waiting."

"That much is obvious. Who or what are you waiting for?"

"The other bridesmaids, but mostly Aria. I'm supposed to keep her away from Roxas."

Demyx turned and took in the scene at the bottom of the steps. Aria was practically glued to Roxas. He grinned. "How's that working out?"

"So far so good."

He laughed while watching Aria. She'd finally managed to get Roxas's full attention. Her face was flushed.

"What we have here is a three-way," Demyx surmised.

"Excuse me?"

"Look at them," he said. "Aria's all starry-eyed over Roxas; Len's all starry-eyed over Aria; and from the scary look on that woman over there watching Roxas like a cougar waiting for dinner, I'd have to say she's a mite more than starry-eyed." Demyx shrugged as he added, "Actually it's a four-way."

"This is not a three-way, a four-way, or a ten-way," Naminé argued.

"I believe ten-ways would be called orgies. Ever heard of those?"

She was not about to let him bait her. Len had her full attention now. He was doing his best to get Aria to notice him. Naminé wouldn't have been surprised if he'd started doing backflips.

"That's just sad," Naminé said, shaking her head.

"Len?"

She nodded.

"I can't blame him," Demyx said. "Aria's got the whole package. The body, the face…without a doubt, she's–"

"Eighteen, Demyx. She's eighteen."

"Yeah, I know. She's too young for Roxas and me, and she thinks she's too old for Len."

A car carrying their parents pulled up to the entrance to the club. Naminé noticed that a bodyguard made sure he was directly behind the judge as they made their way towards the stairs. Another bodyguard rushed up the stairs ahead of him.

Demyx nudged Naminé and said, "You don't need to be worrying about the bodyguards."

"You're not worried?"

"Maybe a little. The thing is; the trial's gone on for so long now. I've gotten used to dad with his shadows. It will be all over in a couple of weeks after the sentencing." He nudged her again. "Put all that out of your mind tonight, okay?"

"Yes, okay," she promised, even as she wondered how she was going to do it.

"You should start celebrating," he said when she continued to look worried. "You're footloose and fancy-free now that you've sold your company and made us all stockholders rich. You can do anything in the world you want."

"What if I don't know what I want?"

"You'll figure it out in time," he said. "You'll probably stay in computers, don't you think?"

Naminé didn't know what she would do. She supposed she would be wasting her degrees if she didn't continue working with computers in some capacity. She was one of a very few women to excel in computer innovation. She had started out with a very large corporation, but she'd ended up forming her own company, and with her family's investment, she'd turned it into a huge success. She had spent the last several years working nonstop. However, when another company offered to buy her out at a phenomenal price, she didn't hesitate to sell. She was restless and ready for a change.

She shrugged. "Maybe I'll do some consulting work," she said.

"I know you've had a lot of offers," Demyx said, "but take some time, Naminé, before you jump into something else. Kick back and relax. Have some fun."

_'Tonight is about Sora and Kairi,'_ she reminded herself. She could worry about her future tomorrow.

Roxas was taking forever to walk up the stairs. He kept getting waylaid by family and friends.

"Why don't you go inside?" Demyx urged. "And stop worrying about Roxas. He knows how young Aria is. He's not going to do anything inappropriate."

Demyx was right about Roxas, but Naminé couldn't say the same for Aria.

"Go and get her inside, will you? Bring her inside."

She didn't have to ask twice. Her brother was halfway across the veranda before the doorman had opened the door for her.

Naminé didn't have to be a watchdog after all. Roxas was a perfect gentleman, just as Demyx had predicted he would be. However, there were several rather persistent young women who couldn't keep their hands off him, and he certainly didn't seem to mind the attention. Since they were all above the age of twenty-one, Naminé figured they knew what they were doing.

Roxas's virtuous behavior freed her from her responsibilities, and she actually began to enjoy herself. By nine o'clock she had it with her contacts though. She found Roxas, who had still had her glasses and her lens case in his jacket pocket. He was on the dance floor with a brunette swaying to the slow music. Naminé interrupted long enough to get her lens case and then headed for the ladies' room.

There was a commotion in the foyer. The strangest-looking man was arguing with the country club's security detail. They in turn were strongly urging him to leave, but he was having none of it. One of the federal agents had already patted him down to make certain he wasn't carrying a weapon.

"It's unheard of to treat a guest the way I'm being treated," he blustered. "I'm telling you Miss Aria Rosen will be happy to see me. I've misplaced my invitation, that's all, but I assure you I was invited."

He spotted Naminé walking toward him and gave her a bright smile.

She didn't know whether she should interfere. He was acting so peculiar. He kept snapping his fingers and bobbing his head as though he was agreeing with someone, but no one was talking to him now. His clothing was bizarre too. Though it was the shank of the summer, the stranger wore a heavy wool tweed blazer with leather elbow patches. Needless to say, he was sweating profusely. His unruly long gray beard was soaked through. Naminé thought of him as a man in his late sixties. He was clutching an old leather folder to his chest, and there were papers sticking out every which way.

"May I be of assistance?" she asked.

"Are you with the Rosen wedding party?"

"Yes I am."

His smile widened as he tucked the thick folder under his arm and dug into his plaid wool vest pocket. He pulled out a wrinkled and stained card and handed it to her.

"I'm Professor Merlin Athens Rosen," he proudly announced. He waited until she had read his name on the card and then snatched it away from her and tucked it back in his vest pocket. He patted the pocket several times as he continued to smile at her.

The security detail had backed away but was warily watching him. No wonder—Professor Merlin was a bit odd.

"I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be here." He extended his hand and added, "This is a momentous occasion. A Rosen marrying a Hartnett. It's stunning. Yes, stunning." He chuckled as he added, "I imagine our Rosen ancestors are twisting and turning in their graves."

"I'm not a Rosen," she said. "My name is Naminé Hartnett."

He didn't rip his hand away from hers, but he came close. His smile disappeared and he seemed to recoil. "Hartnett? You're a Hartnett?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Alright," he said. "Alright then. It is a wedding of a Rosen to a Hartnett. Of course I would be meeting Hartnetts. Stands to reason, doesn't it?"

She was having trouble following. Professor Merlin's accent was thick, a British accent to be precise.

"I'm sorry. Did you say the Rosen ancestors would be turning in their graves?" she asked, certain she'd misunderstood.

"Yes, that's what I said, dearie."

Dearie? He was getting stranger by the second.

"I imagine the Hartnetts would be doing a fair amount of tossing in their unholy graves too," he continued.

"And why would that be?"

"The feud, of course."

"The feud? I don't understand. What feud?"

He whipped out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I'm getting ahead of myself. You must think I'm crazy."

Yes, that was exactly what she was thinking.

Fortunately, he didn't require a response to his statement. "I'm parched," he announced. He tilted his head toward the ballroom she had just exited. "I could use some refreshment."

"Yes, of course. Please, come with me."

He latched on to her arm and glanced suspiciously over his shoulder as they walked. "I'm a history professor at Divine College in Radiant Garden. Have you heard of Divine?"

"No," she admitted. "I haven't."

"It's a fine school. It's located just at the outskirts of Radiant Garden. I teach medieval history, or at least I did until I came into some unexpected money and decided to take a time off. A sabbatical of sorts. You see," he continued, "about fifteen years ago I began researching my family history. It's been a most invigorating hobby for me. Did you know that there's bad blood between us?" He didn't wait for any answer. "Bad blood between the Hartnetts and Rosens, I mean to say. This wedding should never have taken place if history tells us anything."

"Because of a feud?"

"That's right, dearie."

_'Okay, its official,'_ she decided. _'The man is wacko.' _

She was suddenly thankful the agent had checked him for hidden weapons, and she was uneasy about taking him into the ballroom, especially if he was intent on making a scene. On the other hand, he did seem harmless, and he did know Aria…at least he said he did.

"About Aria," she began, determined to find out how the professor knew Kairi's sister.

He was too caught up in his story to listen.

"The feud has been going on for centuries, and every time I think I've gotten to the root of it, lo and behold, I find another contradiction." He vigorously nodded several times and then darted another quick glance behind him as if fearful that someone would sneak up on him. "I'm proud to say I've tracked the feud all the way back to the thirteenth century," he boasted.

As soon as he paused to take another breath, Naminé suggested they find Aria.

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you," she said. _'Or appalled,' _she thought silently.

They continued along the corridor and entered the ballroom just as a waiter was passing by with a silver tray of champagne flutes. The professor took a glass, gulped the drink down, and hurriedly reached for another.

"My, that was refreshing. Is there food?" he asked bluntly.

"Yes, of course. Come, we'll find you a seat at one of the tables."

"Thank you," he said, but he didn't budge. "About Miss Rosen…" His gaze circled the ballroom as he said, "I haven't actually met the woman. In fact, you'll have to point her out to me. I've been corresponding with her for quite some time now, but I have no idea what she looks like. I know that she's young and that she's in college," he added. He gave Naminé a sly look and said, "I imagine you're wondering how I found her in the first place, aren't you?"

Before she could answer, he shifted the fat folder from one arm to the other and motioned to a waiter to bring him another drink.

"I make it a habit to read every newspaper I can get my hands on. I like to keep current," he explained. "Of course, I read the major papers on the Internet. I read everything from political events to obituaries, and I do retain most of what I read," he boasted. "It's true. I never forget anything. It's how my brain works. I've also been tracing my family history, and tied to my history is the ownership of Glen Rosen. I found out through court records that Miss Rosen will inherit the magnificent land in just a few years."

Naminé nodded. "I've heard Aria's great-uncle left her a sizable piece of land in Radiant Garden."

"Not just any land, dearie, Glen Rosen," he scolded. He sounded like a professor now, lecturing one of his students. "The land is tied to the feud, and the feud is tied to the land. The Hartnetts and the Rosens have been at war for centuries. I don't know what the exact origin of the dispute was, but it has something to do with a treasure that was stolen from the glen by the vile Hartnetts, and I'm determined to find out what it was and when it was taken."

Naminé ignored the insult to her ancestors as she pulled out a chair for the professor at the nearest table. He dropped the folder down, and said, "Miss Rosen has shown quite an interest in my research, so much that I've invited her to come and see me. I couldn't possibly bring everything with me, you see. I've been doing this research for years."

He looked expectantly at Naminé. She assumed he wanted some sort of response, and so she nodded and asked, "Where do you live, professor?"

"In the middle of nowhere." He grinned after making the statement and explained. "Because of my financial situation…my inheritance," he corrected, "I've been able to move to a peaceful little town called Serenity deep in Radiant Garden. I spend my days reading and researching," he added. "I enjoy the solitude, and the town is really an oasis. It would be a charming spot to retire to, but I will probably go back to where I was born, Hollow Bastion."

"Oh? You're going home to Hollow Bastion?" Naminé scanned the room for Aria.

"Yes, that's right. I want to visit all the places I've read about. I don't remember them." He pointed to the folder. "I've written down some our history for Miss Rosen to read. Most of the heartache the Rosen clan has had to endure has been the fault of the Hartnett clan," he said, wagging his finger in her face. "You might want to have a peek at my research too, but I'll warn you, chasing these legends and trying to get to the bottom of things can become an obsession. On the other hand, it is also a delightful distraction from the humdrum of everyday life. Why, it could even become a passion."

Passion indeed. As a mathematician and a computer engineer, Naminé dealt with facts and abstracts, not fantasy. She could design any business plan and the computer software to go with it. She loved solving puzzles. She couldn't think of anything that was more of a waste of time than chasing legends, but she wasn't about to get into a lengthy discussion with the professor. She was going to find Aria as quickly as possible. After settling Professor Merlin at a table with a plate of food in front of him, she started her search.

Aria was outside and just about to sit down when Naminé grabbed her.

"Come with me," she said. "Your friend Professor Merlin has arrived. You get to take care of him."

"He's here? He came here?" Aria looked astonished.

"You didn't invite him?"

Aria shook her head. Then she changed her mind. "Wait. I might have invited him, but not formally. I mean, he wasn't on the list. We've been communicating with each other, and I mentioned where the wedding and reception were being held because he wrote that he was touring the Sunset Hills and would be in this area around this time. He actually showed up? What's he like?"

Naminé smiled. "He's difficult to describe. You'll just have to see for yourself."

Aria followed Naminé inside. "Did he tell you about the treasure?"

"A little," she answered.

"What about the feud? Did he tell you about the Hartnetts and the Rosens fighting all the time? The feud's been going on for centuries. Since I'm inheriting Glen Rosen, I want to know as much as possible about the history."

"You sound enthusiastic," Naminé said.

"I am. I already decided I'm going to be a history major, and I'll minor in music. Did the professor bring any of his research with him? He wrote that he had boxes and boxes…"

"He has a folder with him."

"But what about the boxes?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him."

The professor showed better manners with Aria. He stood and shook her hand.

"It's a great honor to meet the new owner of Glen Rosen. When I get to Hollow Bastion I will be certain to tell my clansmen that I've met you, and that you're as charming as I thought you would be."

He turned to Naminé then and said, "I'll also be telling them about you."

"Me?"

"The Hartnetts," he corrected. "You do know that Kairi Rosen married beneath her."

He'd raised her anger with that remark. "And why is that?" she asked.

"Why, the Hartnetts are savages. That's why." He pointed to the folder and said, "In here is just a sample of some of the atrocities against the peace-loving Rosens. You should read it and then you'll understand how fortunate your relative is to be married to a Rosen."

"Professor, are you intentionally insulting Naminé?" Aria asked, shocked.

"She's a Hartnett," he said. "I'm simply stating the facts."

"Just how accurate is your research?" Naminé folded her arms across her chest and frowned at the rude man.

"I'm a historian," he snapped. "I deal in facts. I'll grant you that some of the stories could be…legends…but there's quite a bit of research to make the stories credible."

"As a historian you believe you have proof that the Rosens are all saints and the Hartnetts are all sinners?"

"I know it sounds slanted, but the proof is indisputable. Read it," he challenged once again, "and you can come to one conclusion."

"That the Hartnetts are savages?"

"I'm afraid so," he said cheerfully. "They're thieves as well," he added. "They've chipped away at the Rosen land until Glen Rosen is barely half the size it used to be. And of course they stole the treasure too."

"The treasure that started the feud," Naminé said, letting her irritation show.

He gave her a sly grin and then dismissed her as he turned to Aria. "I couldn't travel with all the boxes, and I'll have to put them in storage when I leave for Hollow Bastion. If you want to look through them, you'd best come to Radiant Garden within the next two weeks."

"You're leaving in two weeks? But I start school, and I…" She stopped, took a breath, and blurted, "I can miss the first week."

Naminé stopped her. "Aria, you can't miss an entire week. You'll need to get your class schedule and your books…you can't go running off to Radiant Garden. Why can't the professor e-mail the research files to you?"

"Most of my research is handwritten, and I've only put a few dates and names on my computer. I could send those, and I will as soon as I get back home, but without my papers, none of it will make sense to you."

"What about mailing the boxes?" Naminé suggested.

"Oh, no, I could never do that," he said. "The expense…"

"We'll pay for shipping," Naminé offered.

"I don't trust the mail. Those boxes could get lost and that's years of research. No, no, I won't risk it. You'll have to come to Radiant Garden, Aria. Perhaps when I come back…although…"

"Yes?" Aria asked, thinking he had come up with a solution.

"I might decide to stay in Hollow Bastion, depending on my finances, and if I do, my research materials will stay in storage until I'm ready to return for them. If you wish to read what I've accumulated, it's now or never," he asserted.

"Could you have someone photocopy the files?" Aria asked.

"I have no one to do it for me, and I simply don't have the time. I'm getting ready for my trip. You'll have to make the copies yourself when you come."

Aria let out a huge sigh of frustration, and Naminé, seeing how important this was to Aria, felt sympathy for her dilemma. As irritated as she was that the professor had created a biased record against her ancestors, she was sorry that Aria wouldn't get to learn more about her land.

"I might decide to do a little research on my own," Naminé said as she stood to leave Aria and the professor to finish their discussion.

The obnoxious man had gotten under her skin, and she was determined to dig up a few facts to prove him wrong. The Hartnetts were all savages? What kind of a history professor would make such a blanket statement? Just how credible was he? Was he really a history professor? Naminé was definitely going to check him out.

"Perhaps I'll prove the Hartnetts were the saints," she asserted.

"That's hardly possible, dearie. My research is impeccable."

She glanced over her shoulder as she walked away. "We'll see."

**End of second chapter. I enjoyed writing a pissed off Naminé. I really do. But then again, I feel bad for making Merlin a rude old man.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Can't believe I managed to write chapter three. Woohoo, I'm on a roll! XD And also, I want to thank ****_rageaxe195 _****for being the first reviewer of ****_Comfort Zone._**** Your review means SO much to me~**

**In conclusion, I dedicated this lovely chapter for ****_rageaxe195. _****;)**

**CHAPTER 3**

It was after ten before Naminé finally had a chance to remove her contacts. She walked back to the ballroom and stood near the entrance trying to spot Roxas in the crowd on the dance floor. He still had her glasses in his pocket.

Professor Merlin had left the reception an hour before, and Aria had apologized profusely for his rude behavior. Naminé told her not to worry, that she hadn't been offended, and she left Aria fretting about the boxes of research. Naminé thought about offering to help her out but changed her mind. Even though she was, as Demyx reminded her, fancy-free these days and was curious to read some of his likely bogus research, doing so meant she would have to suffer more of the professor's company. No, thank you. Nothing was worth spending even one hour with that man.

"What's got you frowning?"

Her brother Hayner asked the question as he sauntered over to her.

"I'm not frowning. I'm squinting. Roxas has my glasses. Do you see him?"

"Yeah. He's right in front of you."

She focused in, spotted him, and then did frown. "Look at those silly women painting all over your partner. It's disgusting."

"You think?"

"I think," she replied. "Promise me something."

"Yes?"

"If I ever act like that, shoot me."

"Be happy to," Hayner promised before laughing at her.

Roxas excused himself from his fan club and walked over to join Hayner and Naminé. "What's so funny?"

"Naminé wants me to shoot her."

Roxas glanced down at Naminé, and for a second or two she had his full, undivided attention.

"I'll do it," he offered.

There was a little too much glee in his voice to suit her. She had just decided to walk away from the two of them when she spotted Wakka Suns heading her way. At least she thought it was Wakka. He was too blurry to be sure. She'd had one dance with Wakka earlier in the evening, and no matter what music was playing, whether it was a waltz, a tango, or hip-hop, Wakka bounced to his own tune in something that resembled a spasmodic version of a polka. Naminé changed her mind and stayed put. She moved a little closer to Roxas and smiled at him. The ploy seemed to work. Wakka hesitated and then turned away.

"Don't you want to know why she wants me to shoot her?" Hayner asked.

"I already know why," Roxas said. "She's bored."

She slipped her hand into his pocket, found her glasses, and put them on.

"I am not bored."

"Yes, you are," Roxas said.

He was looking over her head when he spoke to her. She suspected he did it on purpose just to irritate her.

"He's right," Hayner said. "You have to be bored. All you had was your company, and since you sold everything…"

"Your point?"

Hayner shrugged. "You've got to be bored."

"Just because I don't like the same things you two do doesn't mean I'm bored or unhappy. I have a wonderful social life–"

Roxas cut her off. "Dead people have a better social life."

Hayner agreed. "You really don't have much fun, do you?"

"Of course I do. I enjoy reading and…"

They were both grinning at her. They were obnoxious clowns, and she was about to tell them so when Hayner said, "You do like a good book. What was it you were reading a couple of days ago?"

"I don't remember. I read lots of book."

"I do," Roxas said; his voice gratingly cheerful. "Hayner, Sora and I had just gotten back from fishing, and you were sitting on the deck reading the complete works of Stephen Hawking."

"It was fascinating."

They had a good laugh over her defensive comment. "Stop making fun of me and go away. Both of you."

Her timing could have been better. As soon as she told them to leave, she spotted Wakka approaching her again. She grabbed hold of Roxas's arm. She was sure he knew what she was doing and why—he'd have to be blind not to notice Wakka strolling toward them—but he didn't say anything about it.

"Your sister lives in a box," said Roxas.

Hayner agreed. "Naminé, when was the last time you did anything for fun?"

"I do lots of things for fun."

"Let me qualify the question: when did you do anything fun that _didn't_ involve computers or computer chips or software?"

She opened her mouth to answer and then closed it. She couldn't think of anything, but surely that was only because she was under pressure.

"Have you done anything impractical?" Roxas asked.

"Where's the logic in that?" she asked.

Roxas turned to Hayner. "Is she serious?"

"Afraid so," Hayner answered. "Before my sister would even consider doing anything on the spur of the moment, she would have to first analyze all the data, and then figure the statistical probabilities of success…"

The two men were having a fine time tormenting her and would have continued if their employer, Dr. Squall Leonhart; but he preferred people calling him Leon instead of Squall, hadn't joined them. He carried a plate with a piece of wedding cake.

Leon had become a good friend of the family and wouldn't have missed the wedding for anything in the world. Naminé liked and admired him. He was a brilliant forensic psychiatrist who ran a highly specialized unit within the FBI. They called it the lost-and-found department. Her brother Hayner and Roxas were part of Leon's program. Among their responsibilities was finding lost and exploited children and Naminé believed they were a substantial reason for the program's success.

"You three seem to be enjoying yourselves."

"_How_ do you stand working with them?" Naminé asked.

"There are moments when I question my sanity. Especially with this one," he said, tilting his head toward Roxas.

"Sir, I'm sorry you and your wife got stuck at that same table with our aunt Iris," Hayner said. "Did she find out you were a doctor?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

"Iris is an obsessive hypochondriac," Hayner explained to Roxas.

"What are the odds the doctor would get stuck sitting next to her?" Roxas asked.

Everyone turned toward Leon's table where Aunt Iris sat.

"One chance in one hundred seventy-nine thousand seven hundred," Naminé answered before she could stop herself.

The men turned back to look at her.

Astonished, the doctor asked, "Is that an exact number or a guess?"

"An exact number based on six hundred guests," she said. "I never guess."

"Does she do this kind of stuff all the time?" Roxas wondered aloud.

"Pretty much," Hayner answered.

"Just because I have a mind for math–"

"–But with no common sense," Hayner finished.

"I could certainly use you on my team," Leon said. "If you ever consider a change in careers, come work with me."

"No," Hayner said emphatically.

"Absolutely not," Roxas said at the same time.

The doctor turned his head toward Naminé and gave her a conspiratorial wink. "I wouldn't put her in the field right away. Like you two, she would need extensive training." He looked as though he was pondering the possibility for a second or two, and then said, "I've got a good feeling about Naminé. I believe she'd be an asset to the unit."

"Sir, isn't there a rule against two members of the same family working together?"

"I don't have that rule," Leon said. "I wouldn't make her go through the academy. I'd train her myself."

Roxas looked appalled. "Sir, it still isn't a good idea," he insisted while Hayner vigorously nodded agreement.

Exasperated, Naminé turned to Roxas and said, "Listen, Mister Buttinsky. This isn't your decision. It's mine."

The doctor seemed fascinated by Naminé's reaction to his proposal.

"Would I get to carry a gun?" she asked.

"A gun is out of the question," Hayner said.

"You're too uncoordinated and you're blind as a bat," Roxas interjected. "You'd shoot yourself," he predicted.

She smiled at Leon. "It was lovely talking to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get away from these two cretins."

Roxas grabbed her arm. "Come on. Dance with me."

Since he was already dragging her toward the dance floor, she felt it would be pointless to argue. The bride had coaxed her sister into singing. Aria had the most wonderful voice, and when she began to sing Kairi's favorite ballad, a hush fell over the crowd. Young and old, they were all mesmerized by her.

Roxas pulled Naminé into his arms and held her tight against him. She had to admit it wasn't completely unpleasant. She did like the feel of his hard body pressed against hers. She liked his scent too. Whatever he was wearing was ruggedly sexy.

He was looking over the top of her head when he asked, "You wouldn't really consider working for the doctor, would you?"

He actually sounded a little worried. She couldn't resist provoking him just a little. "Only if I get to work with you."

He smiled as he shook his head. "Not gonna happen. And you can't really be serious, right?"

"Right," she agreed. "I wouldn't consider working for Doctor Leonhart. Happy now?"

"I'm always happy."

She rolled her eyes. Oh, brother. The ego. "By the way," she said, "Doctor Leonhart wasn't serious. He was just teasing to get a rise out of you and Hayner. It worked. You did get riled."

"The doctor never teases, and I never get riled."

"Okay, even if he wasn't teasing, I still wouldn't consider working for him."

He flashed a smile, and for a fleeting second she forgot how irritating he could be.

"I didn't think you would be interested."

Annoyed, she asked, "Then why are we having this conversation? If you knew the answer, why did you ask?"

"Just making sure. That's all."

They swayed to the music for a good half a minute and she was actually feeling relaxed when he ruined it.

"You'd be terrible at it, by the way."

"It?"

"The job."

"How would you know if I'd be good or bad?"

"You live in a comfort zone. That's how I know."

"I'll bite. What's a comfort zone?"

"It's where you live. You never step outside your safe environment, your comfort zone," he explained. "You stay in the shadows." Before she could object, he said, "I'll bet you've never done anything in your entire life that was spontaneous, or taken any risks."

"I've taken plenty of risks in the past year alone."

"Yeah? Name one."

"I sold my company."

"That was a calculated decision and you netted a huge profit," he countered. "What else?"

"I've been doing a lot of running. I thought I'd try for the Twilight Marathon next year," she offered.

"It's a regimen, requires discipline. Plus, you do it to stay fit," he argued.

He wasn't looking over her head now. He was staring into her eyes, and he was making her extremely uncomfortable. For the life of her, she couldn't think of a single spontaneous action or risk she'd ever taken. Everything she did was well thought out and planned down to the last detail. Was her life that boring? Was _she_ that boring?

"Having trouble coming up with one?"

"There's nothing wrong with being careful." Great, now she sounded like a ninety-year-old.

He looked like he was about to laugh. "You're right," he said. "Nothing wrong with being careful."

Embarrassed because she had only just realized how dull she was, and guessing that he had already figured that out as well, she hurriedly changed the subject to get the focus off of herself. She blurted out the first thought that came into her mind.

"Aria has a great voice, doesn't she? I could listen to her all night. Did you know she's been hounded by agents wanting to make her a star? She's not interested though. She's only a freshman, but she's already decided she wants to be a history major, then get her master's and teach. Interesting, don't you think? She's giving up fame and fortune. I think that's amazing, don't you?"

Roxas gave her a piercing smile that went right through her, but he looked puzzled as well. No wonder. She was babbling like a toddler. She knew she should stop talking, but she couldn't seem to make herself close her mouth. Thanks to his scrutiny she had a bad, bad case of nerves.

For the love of God, Aria, wind it up. Enough already.

"And did you know that in a few years Aria is going to inherit land in Radiant Garden? It's called Glen Rosen," she rushed on. "She invited the strangest little man to the wedding and the reception. I just met him, and he has all the information he's collected in boxes in Radiant Garden. He's a professor, you see, and he's done quite a lot of research on a feud that he says has existed for centuries between the Hartnetts and the Rosens. According to the professor, Sora and Kairi should never have gotten married. There's a legend about treasure too. It's fascinating, really it is."

She finally had to pause to take a breath or she'd pass out.

He stopped dancing for a few seconds and then asked, "Do I make you nervous?"

Duh.

"When you stare at me you do. I'd appreciate it if you would go back to being rude and stare over my head when you speak to me. That _is_ why you do it, isn't it? To be rude?"

His face lit up. "And to irritate you."

"It works. You do irritate me."

_'Would Aria never finish this song? She was taking forever'._ Naminé smiled nonchalantly at the couples gliding by as she wished for the dance to end. It would be rude to just walk away, wouldn't it?

Roxas nudged her chin up with his index finger and looked squarely at her. "May I make a suggestion?"

"Sure," she said. "Suggest away."

"You ought to think about getting into the game."

She sighed. "What game would that be?"

"Life."

Apparently, he wasn't through giving her suggestions on ways to improve her dull existence.

"Do you know the difference between you and me?" he asked.

"I can think of more than a thousand differences."

"I eat the dessert."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Life's too short. Sometimes you just have to eat the dessert first."

She knew where this was going. "I get it. I watch life while you live it. I know you think I should do something spontaneous instead of always planning everything out, but for your information, I'm already doing something spontaneous."

"Yeah?" he asked, and the challenge was there in his voice. "What's that?"

"Spontaneous," she stalled.

"And what would that be?"

She knew he didn't believe her. Come hell or high water, she was determined to do something spontaneous, even if it killed her. The satisfaction of wiping that arrogant know-it-all grin off his face would be worth any sacrifice, even if it wasn't logical.

"I'm going to Radiant Garden," she said, enforcing her decision with a nod.

"What for?" he asked.

"Why am I going to Radiant Garden?" She didn't have the faintest idea first, but fortunately, she was a quick thinker. Before he could say another word, she answered her own question.

"I'm going on a treasure hunt."

**End of third chapter. Roxas just loves to rile Naminé up. His personality here is very satisfying, if I do say so myself. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 has emerged. This particular chapter is VERY short (when I said very, I mean it ****_literally_****) and a bit confusing, so I apologize in advance.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the almighty Kingdom Hearts.**

**…Which reminds me, I didn't put up a disclaimer on the previous chapter. *faceslap***

**_CHAPTER 4_**

_He _loved women. _He _loved everything about them: their soft, smooth skin; their feminine scent; the luxurious feel of their silky hair brushing over his chest; the sounds they made when _he_ touched them. _He_ loved their infectious laughter, their screams of delight.

_He _didn't discriminate. The color of their hair or the color of their eyes or their skin—_he_ loved them all. Tall, short, thin, fat. It didn't matter. They were all wonderful, and to him, each one was so very unique.

Admittedly, _he_ had a special fondness for the way some of them smiled at him. It was a smile _he_ couldn't possibly describe. _He _only knew that one glance his way and his heart raced. The lure was that powerful. _He _simply couldn't resist, couldn't say no. Beguiling and enticing. That certain smile never failed to captivate him.

Before _he'd_ had to shape up and change his behavior in order to survive, _he'd _been quite the ladies' man. And that wasn't his ego talking. It was just the way it was. _He'd _been irresistible back then.

But things were different now.

In his old life, if _he_ grew bored, _he_ would say his goodbye with expensive gifts so there wouldn't be any ill feelings towards him. _He _could not bear to think that even one of his women would ever hate him. Only when _he _knew for certain that _he_ had pleased them could _he_ move on to the next lovely, sometimes enchanting, woman. And there was always another one.

Until he met _her_.

_He_ had fallen in love with _her_, and his life has changed forever. The life _he_ knew was gone. His identity was gone.

A new name. A new identity. A new life.

No one would ever find him.

**…It's very short, I know. To make it up to you guys; the next chapter will be longer than this one, I promise you. **


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